7 killed as boat carrying 50 people capsizes in Lake Albert, Uganda

In Summary

According to the country’s media outlets, the boat was ferrying more than 50 football players and fans from Fofo in Hoima to the neighbouring Runga for a friendly match.

Sadic Nyangireki, Nyakabingo parish youth chairman and a businessman at Fofo who spoke to The Daily Monitor, blamed the incident on overloading and a bad weather.

Seven people were on Monday confirmed dead and several more declared missing after a boat capsized in Lake Albert, Uganda.

According to the country’s media outlets, the boat was ferrying more than 50 football players and fans from Fofo in Hoima to the neighbouring Runga for a friendly match.

Sadic Nyangireki, Nyakabingo parish youth chairman and a businessman at Fofo who spoke to The Daily Monitor, blamed the incident on overloading and bad weather.

Mr. Nyakabingo added that a strong wind blew shortly after the boat left the landing site, only for it to capsize barely 300 metres away.

About 20 people have, however, since been rescued even as search operations in the lake continue.

The incident comes following a similar one in 2016 when about 40 footballers and fans drowned after their boat capsized on Lake Albert on Christmas Day as they travelled to participate in a friendly football match.